Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QAQC)

All NERR SWMP data incur primary data QAQC at the CDMO within one week of data retrieval as the provisional data are ingested into the CDMO database. The data are then emailed back to the Reserve where Reserve staff use tools provided by the CDMO, Microsoft Excel macros, to perform secondary QAQC on the data. Data that have been through secondary QAQC are submitted back to the CDMO quarterly and again annually; these data are posted as provisional plus. After annual submission to the CDMO is complete, the data undergo final tertiary QAQC by the CDMO. The data and its accompanying metadata documentation are checked for completeness before dissemination as authenticated historical data via the CDMO Online Data Information Server (http://cdmo.baruch.sc.edu).

SWMP Status

SWMP stations have either primary or secondary status. Primary SWMP stations are the core monitoring stations required by the NERRS and undergo all levels of QAQC. Secondary SWMP stations are additional, optional stations which must follow all SWMP data collection, submission and QAQC protocols. However, with the exception of nutrient monitoring stations, secondary SWMP data do not go through tertiary review by the CDMO.

QAQC Status

The values in the historical and provisional plus columns of the exported data indicate what stage of QAQC the data are in. The QAQC status is also shown on the charts when mousing over a value. There are three QAQC stages reported:

Provisional data have been through an automated flagging process (primary QAQC) only and have not been checked by the Reserve. The automated flagging process currently flags data that are out of sensor range or missing. Provisional data are indicated with a value of 0 in the provisional plus column of exported data files, and with a QAQC: P in a chart mouse-over.

Provisional plus data have been reviewed by the Reserve staff (secondary QAQC) using Excel macros to further QAQC the data. Provisional plus data are indicated with a value of 1 in the provisional plus column of exported data files, and with a QAQC: PP in a chart mouse-over.

Authenticated data have been through final tertiary review at the CDMO and are posted as the final authoritative data. Authenticated data are indicated with a value of 1 in the historical column of exported data files, and with a QAQC: A in a chart mouse-over. A value of 0 in the historical column indicates that the data have not been through final QAQC by the CDMO, and could be either provisional or provisional plus data.

QC Flags

Each parameter in the exported data file contains a flag column. The flag column, F_param, contains a quality control (QC) flag and may contain additional QC codes. In a chart mouse-over, the QAQC flag and any codes are displayed behind the F_param: designation. Refer to the list below for the available QC flags and their descriptions.

-5 Outside high sensor range
-4 Outside low sensor range
-3 Data rejected due to QAQC
-2 Missing data
-1 Optional parameter not collected
0 Passed initial QAQC checks
1 Suspect data
2 Reserved for future use
3 Calculated data: non-vented depth/level sensor correction for changes in barometric pressure
4 Historical: Pre-auto QAQC
5 Corrected data

QC Codes by Dataset

General Errors

GIC No instrument deployed due to ice
GIM Instrument malfunction
GIT Instrument recording error; recovered telemetry data
GMC No instrument deployed due to maintenance/calibration
GNF Deployment tube clogged / no flow
GOW Out of water event
GPF Power failure / low battery
GQR Data rejected due to QAQC checks
GSM See metadata

Corrected Depth/Level Data Codes

GCC Calculated with data that were corrected during QAQC
GCM Calculated value could not be determined due to missing data
GCR Calculated value could not be determined due to rejected data
GCS Calculated value suspect due to questionable data
GCU Calculated value could not be determined due to unavailable data

Sensor Errors

SBO Blocked optic
SCF Conductivity sensor failure
SCS Chlorophyll spike
SDF Depth port frozen
SDG Suspect due to sensor diagnostics
SDO DO suspect
SDP DO membrane puncture
SIC Incorrect calibration / contaminated standard
SNV Negative value
SOW Sensor out of water
SPC Post calibration out of range
SQR Data rejected due to QAQC checks
SSD Sensor drift
SSM Sensor malfunction
SSR Sensor removed / not deployed
STF Catastrophic temperature sensor failure
STS Turbidity spike
SWM Wiper malfunction / loss

Comments

CAB* Algal bloom
CAF Acceptable calibration/accuracy error of sensor
CAP Depth sensor in water, affected by atmospheric pressure
CBF Biofouling
CCU Cause unknown
CDA* DO hypoxia (<3 mg/L)
CDB* Disturbed bottom
CDF Data appear to fit conditions
CFK* Fish kill
CIP* Surface ice present at sample station
CLT* Low tide
CMC* In field maintenance/cleaning
CMD* Mud in probe guard
CND New deployment begins
CRE* Significant rain event
CSM* See metadata
CTS Turbidity spike
CVT* Possible vandalism/tampering
CWD* Data collected at wrong depth
CWE* Significant weather event

*Indicates comments that can be applied to an entire record in the F_Record column.

General errors

GCM Calculated value could not be determined due to missing data
GCR Calculated value could not be determined due to rejected data
GDM Data missing or sample never collected
GQD Data rejected due to QAQC checks
GQS Data suspect due to QAQC checks
GSM See metadata

Sensor errors

SBL Value below minimum limit of method detection
SCB Calculated value could not be determined due to a below MDL component
SCC Calculation with this component resulted in a negative value
SNV Calculated value is negative
SRD Replicate values differ substantially
SUL Value above upper limit of method detection

Parameter Comments

CAB* Algal bloom
CDR Sample diluted and rerun
CHB* Sample held beyond specified holding time
CIP* Ice present in sample vicinity
CIF* Flotsam present in sample vicinity
CLE* Sample collected later/earlier than scheduled
CRE* Significant rain event
CSM* See metadata
CUS* Lab analysis from unpreserved sample

*Indicates comments that can be applied to an entire record in the F_Record column.

Record comments (in addition to those with asterisks above)

Cloud cover

CCL clear (0-10%)
CSP scattered to partly cloudy (10-50%)
CPB partly to broken (50-90%)
COC overcast (>90%)
CFY foggy
CHY hazy
CCC cloud (no percentage)

Precipitation

PNP none
PDR drizzle
PLR light rain
PHR heavy rain
PSQ squally
PFQ frozen precipitation (sleet/snow/freezing rain)
PSR mixed rain and snow

Tide stage

TSE ebb tide
TSF flood tide
TSH high tide
TSL low tide

Wave height

WH0 0 to <0.1 meters
WH1 0.1 to 0.3 meters
WH2 0.3 to 0.6 meters
WH3 0.6 to >1.0 meters
WH4 1.0 to 1.3 meter
WH5 1.3 or greater meters

Wind direction

N from the north
NNE from the north northeast
NE from the northeast
ENE from the east northeast
E from the east
ESE from the east southeast
SE from the southeast
SSE from the south southeast
S from the south
SSW from the south southwest
SW from the southwest
WSW from the west southwest
W from the west
WNW from the west northwest
NW from the northwest
NNW from the north northwest

Wind speed

WS0 0 to 1 knot
WS1 > 1 to 10 knots
WS2 > 10 to 20 knots
WS3 > 20 to 30 knots
WS4 > 30 to 40 knots
WS5 > 40 knots

To learn more about the water quality, meteorological and nutrient parameters and units collected for the System-wide Monitoring Program, visit the parameter explanation page at http://cdmo.baruch.sc.edu/data/parameters.cfm.

Please contact cdmodata@baruch.sc.edu if you have any questions regarding the data or the QAQC process used.

Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QAQC)

SWMP Status

QAQC Status

QC Flags

QC Codes by Dataset

+ Water Quality:

+ Meteorological:

+ Nutrient (2007-):

+ Nutrient (-2007):